Beyond the Pulpit 3.1.26
Good Morning Crozet Church Family,
This past week was amazing!
On Sunday evening, I joined Bart, Lauren Rudzinski, Anna Isley, David Breininger, Susan Erbele and some amazing youth to launch CUMC’s newest children’s ministry, Last Sunday Live – Where God’s Story Comes Alive! It was a HUGE success, with SIXTEEN kids in attendance! We had so much fun, making togas and laurel leaf wreath crowns, learning about why Paul was in prison and what it was like to be a part of the early church where believers were threatened by the Romans. We learned new songs, played ancient olympic games, and had “rat-on-a-stick” for dinner (just ask the kids!). It was great fun (see photo below), and we hope to see these kids – and more – on March 29, for our next adventure in Rome!
On Monday evening I joined other Crozet Justice Ministry folks to attend IMPACT Charlottesville’s 2026 Rally. This is a precursor to the Nehemiah Action Assembly coming up in late March, where our city and county officials will be asked to bring about change and positive improvements on issues such as:
- Public Transportation (decreasing wait times for busses),
- Affordable Housing (creating a trust fund that will provide $10 million annually in funding for affordable housing), and
- Neighborhood Safety (reducing the incidents of violent crime in our community)
Please join us for this exciting event at 6:30pm Tuesday, March 24 at Charlottesville High School. You’re welcome to bring a friend/neighbor/partner too! You can attend without a ticket, you may just have to stand in a long line. We are hoping to fill the auditorium with 1400 people. You don’t have to DO anything, but attend. It is a fascinating process of doing justice locally. The doors open at 6pm, and childcare is available.
On Tuesday evening, I joined many of you at the Downtown Crozet Initiative community gathering in our Fellowship Hall. It was a great opportunity to welcome people into our space and provide this opportunity for our community. We got to see plans for new construction, signage, and public gathering spaces. There is a lot on the horizon, and I enjoyed sharing input with you and others in our community. It’s nice to know what to expect!
On Wednesday morning, I had the joy of leading preschool chapel for the peaches of Crozet Avenue Christian Preschool! We continue to learn about LOVE. This week we learned that love protects, and love trusts (1 Corinthians 13:7). We read the story of Daniel and the Lions Den (Daniel 6), and we practiced learning scripture with sign language.
Outside of these events, I’ve been preparing to lead my first Confirmation class at Crozet UMC. I am so excited! Currently, there are 17 youth registered to participate. We begin at 10 AM today in the Sanctuary. Any student in 6th-12th grade may attend, and at least one parent or family member should also attend today as we kick off this exciting journey.
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Christy
Paul in prison (February 22, 2026)
